SURRENDER EVERY WORRY

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

1 Peter 5:7

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

While many people globally deal with physical health ailments, an equal number, if not more, struggle with mental health conditions with depression and anxiety being the most prevalent.

In regard to the latter, roughly 300 million people are being treated for anxiety-related conditions, conditions grounded in emotions that range from worry to stress to fear. And these are just the number of those formally diagnosed. Given the cultural stigmas associated with mental health or even the unavailability of treatment in many remote parts of the world, the numbers have to be much, much higher.

Add this to the truth that we all will experience episodes of episodic anxiety in life and we see where this is an issue that all people in general need help with. Thankfully, as we turn to the scriptures, we find important, helpful guidance from the Lord.

First, consider these words from Jesus Himself as He delivered His first extensive public teaching during at the beginning of His ministry. Here’s what he had to say in the Gospel of Matthew:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34

It’s been said that perhaps there is no greater time when we fail to trust God than when we worry and in saying that, there’s way too much untrusting going on. Far too much, and through these verses, we know that this matter of anxiety and worry aren’t just a modern day problem. For as long as mankind has had to deal with life, there have been things to be troubled over. In speaking to His listeners (which include us today), Jesus makes it clear that no one is to worry about their life, not about the food needed to eat or clothes to wear or even “tomorrow”. God makes sure the birds are always fed and the “flowers of the field” rise up in beautiful, colorful appearance. And why be concerned over a day that is not yet even here. Each day has plenty of its own matters a person needs to deal with.

The bottom line is that God provides what’s needed and if He does this so readily for the “birds of the air” and the “flowers of the field” then how much more would He provide for His people who are far more valuable to Him?

Note here how those who choose worry over trust are rebuked as having “little faith” and questioned regarding the value of fretting, proclaiming that being anxious about things adds no hours to one’s life. Rather, incessant worrying can result in negative health effects that may actually shorten one’s lifespan.

The call is not to worry as the pagans (unbelievers) do but rather “seek first” the very “Kingdom” of God and “His righteousness”.

As we see in yet one other important passage on this subject, Christian believers are also supposed to seek peace, and not just any peace, but a pure peace that only comes from God. Look at these Words of God from the fourth chapter of Philippians:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Here we find a strict command from the Lord.

Christians are “not to be anxious about anything”. Not one thing.

There are no exception clauses to this demand. Every Christian believer is being told to not be anxious about anything in life. Period. And if we’re ever going to hope to rid ourselves of the damaging impact of anxiety, we must first respond in obedience to the order from our Lord.

So how do we go about accomplishing this? What is the kryptonite that can disable and disarm worry, stress, and fear in our lives?

The Lord tells us to simply trust Him with all that we’re dealing with. It’s as simple as that.

Christians are to come before the God through which nothing is impossible by way of prayer requests and petitions with a spirit of thanksgiving, laying down their burdens before Him and trusting that He will handle them perfectly as only He can.

When a believer does this, when they surrender all their troubles and totally rely on God to handle life’s matters, something amazing and beautiful happens.

They gain peace, and not just any peace but the kind that transcends all understanding because it comes from God Himself.

This is a peace that can be found nowhere else, a holy peace set apart from any other. Any other peace will fall short of the peace we truly yearn for.

And as if this wasn’t incredible enough, the Lord offers us one other assurance that comes with completely trusting Him. For note that the believer will find their hearts and minds guarded in Christ Jesus, the One who is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

In other words, God offers us a perfect, protected peace but only when we surrender our worry and rely fully on Him.

My prayer is that you will do just that today and every day to come.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.